The Caribbean lifestyle, viewed as a harmonious, tranquil, idyllic paradise aspiration, is that, but it has its shortcomings.
Taking early retirement my husband and I decided to move to Tobago to change our lifestyle and enjoy the island’s way of life.
Twenty years later, we are still here and happy despite the limitations we have come to accept. The experience has been a learning curve. For those who would like to take a leap of faith and start a new life in the Caribbean, please take note.
There are, of course, those who return because the Caribbean is their homeland. But they, too, must adjust after spending most of their adult lives abroad. Becoming conditioned to reliable systems, stable healthcare, a strong support network and higher salaries. This post however, is a personal account of the reality the sun and sea cannot address. Glossing over the reality is not honesty, but denial.
We anticipated making friends with the nationals would be easy, given our shared ethnicity, but this was not the case initially. We quickly learned the nationals are very insular. Our English accents immediately defined us as foreigners. A lack of understanding the local patois, though brought up with Caribbean customs, neither of which helped.
Of the many examples I can give, I am highlighting my biggest bugbears. Bureaucracy across the board, aside from governmental, this is predominantly pedantic, frustrating, anger-inducing, tediously dawdling and time-consuming.
The laxity of timekeeping. I cannot control what seems customary and try to apply the Stoic teaching that peace and freedom come from accepting what you cannot change and devoting your energy to what you can. This sometimes works, sometimes not.
Healthcare is not strictly 100% free, plus patients take on far more responsibility than is appropriate. The local hospital does not have specific in-house specialists who make monthly visits from Trinidad. The waiting list for operations is tediously long. Nor are all surgical treatments free. Some cost thousands of dollars, which many cannot afford. Likewise, Education is not free as school textbooks must be purchased.
Our sense of community and belonging took a long time to develop. Not helped by sometimes missing family and friends. FaceTime is all well and good, but it is in no way comparable to having family in at least the same country. The excitement of the newness, the honeymoon period, evaporates with the reality of everyday life and its many nuances that must be learned. An essential factor to note is complete honesty. The move should never be about longing for an escape, but about honouring you and providing stability, safety, and peace of mind so you can enjoy your new homeland fully.
After twenty years living our dream, we will continue to navigate an ever-changing world, large and small, in Tobago.
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